Game apparatus.



No. 637,982. Patented Nov. 28, I899. E. L-. WILLIAMS.

GAME APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR L.W1LLIAMS, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,982, dated November 28, 1899.

Application filed October 21, 1 899.

To all whom, it may c0ncerm- Be it known that I, EDGAR L. WILLIAMS, a resident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for playing tenpins, ninepins, or similar bowling games upon a small portable board.

The characteristic feature of the invention is the combination, with a portable gameboard having a raised ledge or rim, of a removable cushion-back or shield comprising plural rigid sections united by a hinged or flexible joint, so that the cushion-back when not in use can be folded into small compass for convenient packing or shipment.

Figure 1 is aperspeotive View of a portable game-board having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the cushion-back in folded position.

The portable game-board shown in the accompanying drawings comprises a body A, around which extends the raised ledge or rim a. As shown, the corners of theboard A are furnished with pockets 1), and the upper surface of the board may be checkered or otherwise marked for the playing of various games. It is not essential to my invention that the corners of the board should be perfectly square, as these corners might be of rounded or polygonal outline, the rim a being correspondingly shaped at such points. In order to enable the game of tenpins, ninepins, or other bowling-alley games to be played upon the board, I provide a removable cushion-back 0, comprising plural rigid sections 0, that are united by a suitable hinged joint or connection 0. Preferably the sections 0 of the cushion-back are of cardboard or like rigid material, and the hinged joint is preferably of cloth or the like,it being understood,however, that the precise character of the hinged joint or connection is not essential, so long asit enables the rigid sections of the cushionback to be folded together, as shown in Fig. 2, or to be extended and set up for use, as

shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

seen No. 734,303." (No model.)

When the apparatus is to be used in playing the game of tenpins, for example, the pins D will be set up about an inch and one half apart in triangularmanner, as shown in the drawings. If two persons are playing a game, they will be seated at diagonally oppo site corners of the board and will pass the pins D and the removable cushion-back 0 across the board after each player has had his turn. Small rings or disks E will be used in shooting at the pins D, the position of the players hand in making the shot being as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The cushion-back C will serve to prevent the pins D from falling off the board. In using the board it will be understood that the usual rules of bowling or tenpins will be followed so far as applicable. If four players be engaged in the game, one will sit at each corner of the board, and as each players turn occurs the removable cushion-back can be passed to the player located diagonally to him.

In portable game apparatus of the character described it is very desirable that the pins, the rings, or disks, &c:, used in playing various games upon the board shall be packed in small compass, and inasmuch as the rigid sections of the cushion-back G are connected by hinged joint they can be conveniently set within an ordinary cardboard box. The rigid sections of the cushion-back also afiord convenient surfaces upon which the rules of the game or like matter for the instruction of the playersmay be printed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A portable game apparatus comprising a game-board provided with a raised rim extending around its body in combination with a removable cushion-back consisting of plural rigid sections united by a hinged joint and adapted to be located in one corner.

EDGAR L. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

L. M. THURLOW, C. JOHNSON. 

